From My Point of View
by Iasthai
Summary: Bone Clinkz Tells His Story
1. How did it come to this?

**From my Point of View**

**Chapter 1: How did it come to this**

S_ai shi eil Eisaes os Quel'Thalas air sai jhyli byrol sher os shyrn_

-Kirah 3 Jholi 1 Tydi os si Quel'Thalan

(To be an Archer of Quel'Thalas is to love nothing but your bow)

This whole idea of me always being a hell-bent killing machine relishing in nothing other than the death of my enemies is really just a misunderstanding. In fact I didn't even mean to join the Scourge. So if you have a minute or two, take a seat and I'll tell you my story. The story as it really happened.

Well it all started a few months ago. It was a lovely spring day. The sky was blue, the grass green, and I was in a rather jubilant mood. I was walking through a beautiful forest practicing my archery on a few spotted wolfs. Oh yes, I was an elvish archer when I was alive. From which of course you can glean that I am indeed dead. It's really not that bad though. Don't need to eat, sleep, or do a thousand other hassles. I can just enjoy myself and practice archery. In any case I was using the 1st technique of the Archers of Quel'thalas, searing arrows. It was rather simple really, you set your arrows on fire with brief magic spell, Maer eisyrn ol thosi. I often strolled through these woods to relax and try to find some inner peace about being dead.

So here I was enjoying the trees when I heard a bit of a commotion up ahead. Naturally I went to investigate and found a skirmish taking place between small groups of Scourge and Sentinel soldiers. The Scourge soldiers seemed to be mainly ghouls with a few necromancers, and the Sentinel were treants with a few druid of the talon. Of course I knew of the conflict between the Sentinel and the Scourge, in fact at one point or another I had been asked to join both sides. I was determined to stay neutral; however I must admit that I harbored a small favoritism for the Scourge. A lot of them were dead after all, and we dead people have to stick together. The battle seemed pretty even so I was just going to walk off and think nothing of it when I noticed a troll with a big nose appear and start throwing axes at the Scourge soldiers.

I had never seen him before, not that I really took much notice of trolls. He seemed to be a more proficient that most trolls and had some aura around him. But here he was attacking the ghouls, and this made me just a little upset. Even though I wasn't with the Scourge, those ghouls were dead, and I felt that I had to show some amount of loyalty. It seemed pretty apparent that whoever this troll was, he was with the Sentinel; however I figured that he was not above reason. So I started walking towards him trying not to be noticed. Apparently it worked because he jumped in surprise when I nicely asked him if he could stop attacking the ghouls and find some nice satyrs to kill. But instead of answering, he started throwing axes at me! I found this downright rude. Attacking the ghouls was bad enough, but attacking me when I was simply trying to reason with him? That was unacceptable. This troll needed a lesson in manners.

So I figured I'd scare him with the 2nd technique of the Archers of Quel'thalas, Strafe. This was a little more complicated than the first. It involved focusing ones body and mind into perfect harmonious motion. When perfected, it allowed an archer to fire at incredible speeds. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to bring my body and mind into synchronization. I softly whispered the words "Jhaer tia shydia shaelysti si shyrn, Jhaer tia tol shaelysti si mol". Feeling my body and mind in tune, I opened my eyes and began to shoot. My motion was perfect; my arm was an extension of the bow, my mind acted as the string. The flaming arrows soared through the air, crackling and snapping. When the first struck the troll he howled half in pain and half surprise. Please keep in mind that I had absolutely no intention of killing him. I just wanted to scare him. But it had been so long since I used Strafe, I found myself lost in the sensation. Arrow after arrow I sent hurling into the air. My bow glistened in the sunlight, the string flashed as I released it again and again. I was lost in the wonder of archery.

It was only when the troll turned and began to run that I snapped out of my trance. But it was too late, there were still arrows in the air bearing down on him with impeccable aim. When the last of these struck, the troll fell to the ground, emitting a mournful howl. My anger bleeding into worry, I walked over to see if he was alright. But he wasn't. In fact he wasn't anywhere near alright, he was dead, and I was in a mess. Still though everything might have been ok, except out of the corner of my eye I saw a dryad sprinting away. Well this was just great. Not only had I accidentally killed a member of the Sentinel, but they were about to find out about it, and who knows what story that dryad will tell.

So things were pretty bad, and they only got worse. Just as the dryad was leaving my friend Rotund'jere came running up to me. Now I admit that Rotund'jere is just a bit….. oh…sadistic. You can't even talk to him for 30 seconds without him going on about his "wrath against the living" and a load of similar rhetoric. But he was pretty cool to hang with, and he was dead after all.

So Rotund'jere comes up just spewing out how happy he was that I had finally joined the Scourge. He was all "why didn't you tell me" and "what a stunning victory" and "we can unveil our wrath upon the living together" and "those with life will fear our names" and a bunch crap like that. I tried to get him to slow down as I explained that it was all an accident, but Rotund'jere didn't listen, he never does. Of course he wanted to take me immediately back to the frozen throne to introduce me to the Lich King personally.

Ten minutes ago everything was perfect. Then I accidentally kill a troll and boom, the Sentinel become my enemies and the Scourge my allies. I had to do something about this. Unfortunately Rotund'jere did not believe a word I said about everything being an accident. So to get him off my back I told him I wanted to go kill some more Sentinel before I went to see the Lich King. I know it was a mistake, but that stupid necrolyte is persistence personified.

But as soon as Rotund'jere heard I wanted to go hunting he jumped at the idea of us going on a killing spree together. Since he just couldn't seem to take a hint, I informed him I wanted to do it alone so as to prove my worthiness to the Lich King. Finally he accepted that, and after a few more minutes of prophesying the death and destruction of the living, he left promising to see me at the Frozen Throne where we could began our "rampage that will see no end".

Finally alone I walked back into the woods to think things through. Everything seemed like a dream as I sat down on the soft grass. The sky was still blue and the grass still green, but it was all lost on me now. The butterflies and the white clouds couldn't make me smile. There had to be some way out of this mess. The dryad was going to go back and tell the Sentinel the story of the death of the troll. They'll assume I'm a new member of the Scourge. Rotund'jere is going to go back to the Frozen Throne and tell everyone about my stunning victory over a Sentinel hero and how with my addition to the Scourge the war would soon be over. This was bad. After consideration I realized I really only had two options. I could find a portal and warp to Dreanor, or I could find someone in the Sentinel who would listen to me. Since I wasn't really that into Orcs and Demons, I decided that the latter option was the best. I was going to go talk to the Sentinel.


	2. The Eyes the Gods Poured Stars Into

**Chapter 2: The Eyes the Gods Poured the Stars Into**

_Shyrn shor mar eil eisyrn tas _

_Tandros thadaer eirdae _

_Saer shor shes eil tylal thar _

_Jhori shaer sai byrol_

_Eil shar air jhaes shael sor air kyli? _

_Shar tal paer byr pal? _

_Sor olia jhyli_

_Shyri shasol sys_

_Shor eilar mi si parn _

Bows will snap and arrows crack

Magic fades away

Trees will burn and mountains fall

Life bleeds to nothing

And what is left when this is gone?

What can death not daunt?

Tis only love

Whose warming touch

Will always see the dawn

Anonymous Elvish Poem

I had been inside the Sentinel headquarters once before. Years ago when I was newly dead, Shendelzare attempted to get me to join the Sentinel. She took me around the base and gently tried to persuade me as to the righteousness of her cause. I had known Shendelzare when we were both alive. As a young archer I was a member of a secret expedition to Ashenvale that attempted to establish formal relations between the High Elves and Night Elves. Among the greeting party was the young warden Shendelzare. Coming into her presence was a sight that has never been equaled in all my travels. Before me I beheld beauty unsurpassable. The light of a thousand stars dimmed before her radiance, the depth of her eyes dwarfed the oceans. But old hatreds die hard, and within days a fight broke out. Shendelzare sheltered me from a radical faction that assassinated the rest of the High Elf delegation. Beyond that she managed to sneak me out of Ashenvale and find passage for me back to Quel'Thalas. My gratitude was inexpressible, my pain at leaving, incomprehensible.

I had always hoped that one day we could bridge the gap between our two races, but we were both dead before that day came. Within weeks of my death Shendelzare sought me out to ask me to join the fledging Sentinel alliance. In some aspects it was everything I had ever dreamed of in life. High Elves and Night Elves fighting side by side, and Shendelzare in the middle of it all. But things were different now, and we both knew it. It could never be like it used to. Although it hurt me beyond words to refuse a request by her, I reiterated by desire to stay neutral. I told her I had had enough of war and needed to find a new path. I left the Sentinel base and never looked back.

Back then the defensive towers, which were large sentient trees, had been made aware of my identity so I could pass safely. But years later I was not sure if they would remember me, or perhaps if I had already been marked an enemy. In any case I was not just going to march into the Sentinel base and hope for the best. My plan was to wait outside and hope I could catch Shendelzare coming out of the base alone.

The walk to the Sentinel headquarters was by no means short, so it gave me plenty of time to think about my situation. But two things kept jumping to the forefront of my mind. The first was Shendelzare. My mind kept playing the memories of her over and over. But I did not regret my decision to not join the Sentinel, especially not now that I had friends in the Scourge. After all what fun would death be without going golem smashing with Rotund'jere? No, I had made the right choice. I was determined to stay out of this war. Perhaps after it was over…. maybe then… no, no sense is thinking about that now.

The second was the feeling I experienced during the fight with the troll. It was really inexplicable. My mind, body, and bow all being one was pure ecstasy, and I wanted to feel it again. I stopped to try and experiment on a lone grey wolf. I closed my eyes and chanted

_Jhaer tia shydia shaelysti si shyrn_

_Jhaer tia tol shaelysti si mol_

My body came into tune and I fired a barrage of arrows at the wolf. But there was no ecstasy, no rapture. It appeared I was missing something in the equation. Perhaps the wolf was just too easy; I might need a harder target. But I didn't have any time to think about that either.

After spending the better part of two days running silently through the woods, I was outside the main Sentinel base. If I remembered correctly there were three entrances, with the middle one being the most used, so I hid myself in the woods right outside this entrance and waited. Over the next few hours I saw many Sentinel heroes entering or leaving the base. I recognized some, like Lina Iverese and Rylai Crestfall. But most were unfamiliar to me, a large centaur, several orcs, and some sort of panda. Hours passed and still no Shendelzare. I was being to worry that something might have happened to her. What if she had been killed recently?

I was mulling over these thoughts when I saw a newcomer exit of the base. She had a bow in her hand and dark cloak over her head. Underneath her hood you could she her blue skin and red eyes. It was Traxex! I could scarcely believe it. I had no idea she was with the Sentinel. I looked again and there was no denying it; it was indeed the skilled ranger from the Underdark. I had met her during an archery contest back in Quel'Thalas. The last round was the down to the two of us. We tied for five straight rounds until they officially called the match a draw. We remained friends and often saw action together.

This was not Shendelzare, but I was pretty confidant that she would listen to me, so I decided the take the risk and contact her. I didn't just want to jump out though; I needed something with a little more finesse. I fitted an arrow to my bow and waited. Within a few seconds a leaf fluttered down from a tree slowly floating to the ground in front of Traxex. I pulled my string back and took careful aim, upon release the arrow shot forward and struck the leaf, skewering it right through the middle. She was bound to notice that.

Traxex stopped and looked towards the cluster of trees I was hidden in. Then slowly she started walking over, fitting one of her own arrows to her bow. When she reached the tree line, I softly whispered

"Traxex, over here"

"Eilyli is that you?" She asked, addressing me by my Elvish name.

"Yes, but I no longer go by that name, Clinkz is good enough for now"

"I know why you're here Eliy….Clinkz. When Aiushtha came back telling a story about a skeleton firing arrows so fast that bow and bone became one, I knew it had to be you."

"Then you'll believe me when I tell you that everything was a mistake."

"Let's not talk here, come follow me, I know of a grove when we can talk safely."

She turned and started moving soundlessly through the brush. I followed her trying to determine what her reaction would be to my story. I could only hope that she would believe me and in turn be able to convince the Sentinel that I was not their enemy. After walking a short distance, Traxex stopped in a small clearing.

"Alright Clinkz" she croaked in her deep raspy voice "Tell me what happened"

"Well it was all an accident really. I saw this troll attacking some Scourge soldiers, and well I felt a little bit of loyalty to them being dead and all, so I asked the troll if he could stop attacking. But he started attacking me instead, so I thought I'd scare him."

"That was some scare" Traxex retorted

"Well it's just that since I had never used Strafe in so long I found myself kind of … lost in the sensation, and before I knew it he was dead."

Traxex sighed, "For what it's worth I believe you"

"You do? So then can you try and talk to the…."

"No" interrupted Traxex, "I'm sorry Clinkz but we can't afford to have a loose cannon running amuck"

"What you do mean 'We can't…." I started to reply but stopped when I heard the rustling of leaves from all sides. Out of the woods stepped 5 more sentinel heroes, completely surrounding me: Aiushtha, the dryad I had seen before, a mean looking Tauren, a half-Night Elf with a strange helmet, a Dwarf with a long rifle, and what looked like an Orc Shadow Hunter. I had been betrayed.

"Traxex!" I nearly shouted, "What's the meaning of this"

"I know you too well. After hearing Aiushtha's story I presumed you'd probably try to come and talk things out. I figured if Shendelzare wasn't here, you'd have to come to me."

"Where's Shendelzare!" I demanded, filling with anger "What did you do to her!"

"Oh don't worry about her, we sent her on an assignment before she could get wind of any of this. By the time she gets back, this will be all over"

"I can't believe you Traxex"

"You should be thanking me Clinkz" explained Traxex as she gestured to the other Sentinel, "They wanted to kill you on sight. I was the one who convinced them that imprisoning you would be enough."

"Imprisonment…."

"Well not forever, just until the war is over. Then you'll be set free, provided you swear to never bear arms against the Sentinel again."

I had had about enough of this. I sat there for a second, my mind racing with options, then Traxex spoke again.

"I'm trying to help you Clinkz, you must understand that we can't just let you go free."

I could sense the other Sentinel becoming restless, they were shifting their feet, gripping their weapons. I decided it time to leave. I prepared myself for the 3rd and final technique of the Archers of Quel'Thalas, wind walk. This skill required incredible mental and physical disciple, the archer had to blend his body into nature itself. With the correct execution, the caster became invisible to the eye and gained a considerable amount of speed. Preparing myself I quickly breathed

_Tol eil shydia eisi oli_

_Eis eil baresi eisi oli_

_Shaelysti eir shol!_

I felt myself blend into the air as I looked for shocked reactions on the faces of the Sentinel. But there were none, in fact Traxex was laughing.

Just then I heard something whistling in the air towards me, I tried to jump out of the way but was too late. A hammer struck me hard in the back, knocking me to ground senseless. It was that half-Night Elf with the odd helmet, he had thrown the hammer at the first sign of my trying to use wind walk. After giving me a few seconds to recover Traxex shook her head and spoke again

"Clinkz, Clinkz, don't you think we know about the master technique of the Quel'Thalan?" She reached inside her cloak and brought forth a green gem.

"A Gem of True Sight from Dalaran" I identified it, "I thought those were all destroyed"

"Oh most of them were" Traxex answered "But we have this one just for situations like this. As you can see you cannot escape, give up easily and you won't be harmed"

A few of the Sentinel started taking steps towards me, and I tried to focus on my circumstance. Perhaps spending a few years in a Night Elf prison wouldn't be that bad… No, no, this all just a misunderstanding, I mean them no harm, why couldn't they see that!

I was struggling with my options when I felt a sensation build inside my body. It was completely unfamiliar to me. It felt as if some force was trying to attach itself to my very soul. Then instantly I found myself in the trees right outside the grove. Wildly confused, I turned around to see Shendelzare standing in my place in the middle of the circle of Sentinel heroes. Her eyes met mine and she mouthed one word… Run!

A thousand thoughts and emotions exploded into my mind. I couldn't believe she was doing it again, risking everything to rescue me. I wasn't going to allow it this time! I had to help her! But some of the other Sentinel had already spotted me, including that strange Night Elf, and he was reaching for another hammer. I knew that we could never defeat them all in battle, and moreover Shendelzare could not even hope to evade them….but I could. Looking back at her, I saw her eyes were still fixated on me, the eyes that the gods must have molded from the night sky itself. She saw my split-second hesitation and mouthed again, "Run, please run."

With my heart torn into pieces I breathlessly whispered

_Tol eil shydia eisi oli_

_Eis eil baresi eisi oli_

_Shaelysti eir shol!_

Becoming one with the shadows I shot off into the dark, out of range of the Gem of True Sight, leaving Shendelzare there in the grove. I ran all night. I didn't know where I was going, I didn't care. All I could see were Shendelzare's eyes staring back into mine.


	3. Rage and Death

**Chapter 3: Rage and Death**

_Eir taerol ter ael ail vasol. Eir bai ter ael ail mysyrn._ - Kirah 5 Jholi 53

Tydi os si Quel'Thalan

"All meetings must end in partings. All joy must end in sorrow"

Run. It was all I could think of. I couldn't bring myself to face what had just happened, so I ran. With pounding feet and a rattling bow, I looked straight forward, focusing only on sprinting. I splashed through rivers, jumped over logs. I blazed through a camp of kolbolds, sending them scattering. After hours of this I finally couldn't muster the strength to jump over a rock in my path. I tripped over the rock doing a near full flip in the air and hit the ground rolling multiple times. I just laid there, trying to gain perspective.

Why was she like that? The worse than could possibly happen was me spending a few years in prison, then no matter what side won I'd be set free. It was just unreal; I hadn't seen her in years, and now this. Sitting up I noticed the sun starting to peak above the horizon, it was morning already. I looked around to try and get a bearing on my position. A little ways ahead there seemed to be a precipice. I walked over and found myself overlooking a familiar valley. I sat down at the edge and surveyed the landscape before me. A stream flowed lengthwise down the valley with trees on either side. In the middle of the valley there was a ford where a commonly traversed path crossed the stream. I realized I was less than two hours traveling distance from my "meeting" with the Sentinel. I must have ran in circles last night.

Behind my back the Sun was coming up, pouring golden light into the valley. The sunlight horizon slowly moved forward, the stream glittering in the illumination. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Why couldn't everyone just appreciate moments like these? Opening my eyes again I saw some moment down by the ford. I squinted and made out a transparent old man with a staff. I could hardly believe it. What were the odds that Rotund'jere would be here. He must have gotten tried of waiting for me and decided to go on his own rampage. I figured that I should go down and tell him what happened, leaving out the part about Shendelzare of course. He'd chastise me for trusting the living and go on and on about his, and now our, wrath. I smiled thinking how the conversation would go.

I was looking for a way down when I noticed some more movement by the ford. It was behind Rotund'jere in the trees. I couldn't tell quite what it was until I saw something blue shoot out of the woods towards Rotund'jere. It was an ice arrow. Traxex was back there, and was attacking my friend. Something inside me snapped. A growing rage started bubbling and festering inside of me. First she had betrayed me, who knows what she might have done to Shendelzare, and now this. I had had enough. Traxex was not walking out of this valley.

_Tol eil shydia eisi oli_

_Eis eil baresi eisi oli_

_Shaelysti eir shol_

I flung myself down the side of hill towards the fight. My anger was growing, fed by my memories of my encounter with the Sentinel. With each step I grew faster and angrier. I could start to make out more details of the battle as I drew closer. Traxex was rapidly firing off ice arrows at the nectrolyte. I saw a red seal appear under Traxex and she stopped firing for a moment. I knew that move, it was the Reaper's Scythe, Rotund'jere's ultimate spell. Realizing my friend was in serious danger I hurled myself faster toward the ford as I started the spell Strafe.

_Jhaer tia shydia shaelysti si shyrn_

_Jhaer tia tol shaelysti si mol_

Finally approaching the ford I threw myself in the air at Traxex letting out an impassioned cry. As I was bearing down on the ranger I saw Rotund'jere fall to the ground. I struck Traxex square in the chest knocking her hard to the ground. Standing over her I quickly drew and arrow and fired it down. Arrow after arrow I sent into her body.

It was back, the ecstasy, and this time it was better. My rage at Traxex and my joy of archery combined in a perfect blend of ardor. As I pierced her body again and again a sense of satisfaction, and even delight, began to rise. I couldn't help thinking that this, this feeling, was who I was truly meant to be.

After Strafe wore I finally stopped firing. Traxex's body was so badly mangled it was barely recognizable. Coming out of my trance, I dropped my bow and rushed over to Rotund'jere.

"Rotund'jere?...Rotund'jere!" I shouted "Can you hear me!"

The nectrolyte opened his eyes and attempted to smile.

"Clinkz, so you killed the witch" he replied

"Yes, she's dead, she won't betray anyone again.

"Fate had this day planned Clinkz. Today, the day I die, I have seen wrath incarnate."

The nectrolyte coughed and looked earnestly at me.

"You have power Clinkz, I've always known it. Control your wrath, and you can control this world."  
I didn't know what to say, I just sat there for a second looking into those eyes.

"Goodbye, my friend……goodbye" muttered Rotund'jere as he closed his eyes for the last time.

I got up, picked up my bow, and surveyed the scene. The sunlight was just now just now reaching the ford, bathing the whole area with illumination. Here, lying not ten feet part, were the bodies of two that I had called friends. With the shock starting to wear, I came to a simple realization. This war would make corpses of us all. I had to rescue Shendelzare and leave this world. But I needed help, and there was only one place I could go. Leaving the two lying there, I turned north, towards the Frozen Throne.


End file.
